Weeping Form Sakura Is Beautiful Now, Beautiful Sakura Spot in West Tokyo

The most common type of Sakura (cherry blossoms), Someiyoshino, is not yet in full bloom, but some other types are blooming earlier as I mentioned previously. The photos are of Entsu-ji Temple located in Hachioji City, Tokyo.

This weeping form Sakura which is shown in the photos is one of the early blooming types. Last Sunday, 80% has already blooming. However it wouldn't be too late to go to see them. This old Buddhist temple is chosen as one of 88 best views in Hachioji because of the beautiful Sakura flowers. According to a legend this temple was originally established in 903, it is a very old historical temple although the original buildings and old artifacts were burned down during the World War Ⅱ.

There are more Sakura viewing spots than famous places introduced in guide books. Please enjoy exploring beautiful Sakura and find your own Hanami (cherry blossoms viewing) spot!

What Can We Get From Gacha-Gacha Vending Machines?

I'd like to continue the subject of "Gacha-Gacha" vending machines which I talked in my previous post on March 25th. Today, I'm showing time-lapse photos of a shopping at "Gacha-Gacha" above. When people buy Gacha-Gacha goods, the purchased product comes out in a ball-shaped plastic container as shown in the last photo on the top row. 

In my post on the 25th, I wrote that "Gacha-Gacha" goods are not only kids' toys these days. They have a wide variety of items and even grown-ups are enjoying them. Then let's see some examples of what people can buy from "Gacha-Gacha".

The items in the round container with a red lid is a miniature tea pot and a cup as shown in the first photo of the bottom row. It is like a doll house goods and the lid of the pot can be opened. Inside of the pot, there is a hamster hiding.

Gacha-Gacha items are not just cute miniature stuff to decorate doll house. Look at the photo beside the hamster photo. They are extinct species from the Cambrian period called Anomalocaris (left) and Dunkleosteus (right). 

These scientific miniature models are sold at museums' Gacha-Gacha vending machines. Therefore they are made based on actual fossils and reconstructions. Moreover the jaw of Dunkleosteus is movable as shown in the two final photos on the bottom row. Possibly they have enough quality to satisfy those who love fossils or paleontology. 

Now are you interested in trying Gacha-Gacha?

Want To Find Casual Small Souvenirs of Japan Travel?

One thing people find it difficult when they travel to foreign countries is finding enough souvenirs. Since foreign travel is usually a big deal, people may tell many friends and relatives, therefore if there are small casual souvenirs that can be found easily would be nice for the travelers.

The specific type of vending machines in the photos above is called "Gacha-Gacha" in Japan. The name came from the sound the machines make when people buy the contents. It is similar to old-fashioned Gumball Vending Machines, coins are inserted and the dial is turned with the rattling sound of "gacha, gacha", where one round sealed plastic container is released from the machine.

The contents inside of the containers are basically small toys. Actually the machines were used by only kids in old days. The price range was between 100-200 yen ($1-2), which most kids could afford. Also it has a lottery aspect because nobody knows which one they would get from the variety of toys and that was attractive to kids.

However, in these days these "Gacha-Gacha" machines have more wide variety of items. There are fine detailed miniatures, cell phone accessories, and key holders though some of them are a little more expensive up to 400 yen or 500 yen ($3.5-4.5). Therefore adults have started buying them, too. Today, we can find "Gacha-Gacha" corners as shown in the right hand side photo in many places such as big discount stores.

The two vending machines shown in the left hand side photo are selling miniatures of local specialties and landmarks. For example, the green one on the left side sells miniatures of Tokyo specialties and landmarks such as "Hachi-kou dog statue in Shibuya" and "Tokyo Station building". They are very elaborate miniatures, and these vending machines are installed even inside big stations. 

So it can be fun to buy items from "Gacha-Gacha" and give them out as casual little souvenirs from Japan travel. When you let people pick one up from a box or sack, they can also enjoy the lottery aspect of "Gacha-Gacha"!

Cherry Blossoms' Hanami(Seasonal Flowers Viewing) Tour in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture

I'd like to introduce a mini virtual Hanami(Seasonal Flowers Viewing) Tour today! Please enjoy nearly fully bloomed Sakura flowers here!

This is the same place I showed in my post yesterday. It is a river side area of Oppe-Gawa River located in Kitaasaba, Sakado City, Saitama prefecture. The Sakura trees are all Angyokanzakura, one of the early blooming types.

The Flowers have clearer pink color than Someiyoshino which is the most common kind of Sakura in Japan. So the pretty spring color can be recognized even from a far distance.

There is no train station near by and it would be a little inconvenient, but there are a lot fewer people than famous "Hanami" spots. Thus it is a nice place to enjoy beautiful Sakura flowers in a relaxed atmosphere.

Cherry Blossoms' Hanami(Seasonal Flowers Viewing) Season Has Started!

As I mentioned in "Sakura(cherry blossoms) Forecasts" previously, the Sakura Standard Tree in Tokyo had several flowers yesterday and the Meteorological Agency of Japan formally announced that Sakura(cherry blossoms) started blooming in Tokyo area.

Now most Japanese are probably checking weather forecasts to see when will be good for "Hanami", although the announcement was about the beginning of blooming and there aren't many flowers yet in parks. "Hanami" is one of Japanese traditional customs of going out to enjoy seasonal flowers. It is actually not only for Sakura(cherry blossoms), Hanami can be for any flowers, in fact Japanese enjoy going for "Hanami" throughout the year, but of course  "Hanami" for Sakura is the most popular one. 

Besides, people love to have a "Hanami party" under Sakura trees. When people hear the announcement of Sakura(cherry blossoms) blooming in their area most people would say "Okay, let's go for Hanami with lots of food and alcohol! It's a party time!". Then some people would bring out their blue sheets, huge tarpaulins usually used by construction companies as shown in upper right hand side photo. Somehow using tarps is common for "Hanami parties" since people think it is more convenient than gathering small picnic sheets, and large tarps can be used to secure enough space in a good spot.

Weather forecasts are now saying that the temperature will cool down from the day after tomorrow therefore Sakura flowers would last long this year. If it is too warm all Sakura flowers bloom quickly and scatter within several days, but with cooler temperature people can enjoy "Hanami" with lots of flowers this weekend and even during the next week.

However, maybe some people just can't wait that long. Don't worry, although the major type, Someiyoshino,  is just started blooming, there are other types of Sakura flowers have bloomed enough for Hanami. The photos in the lower row show "Angyoukanzakura" in Sakado City, Saitama prefecture. Today, I saw 70-80% of the "Angyoukanzakura" flowers have already bloomed. You can go for Hanami there right away!

How Can The Weather-forecasters Forecast The Date Of Sakura Blooming?

As I wrote yesterday, Japanese weather-forecasts include "Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) Blooming Forecast", and according to Japan Weather Association, the start date of Sakura blooming for this year would be March 21st and the date of full bloom would be March 28th in Tokyo area.

However some Sakura trees are already blooming as shown in the lower photo since there are many different kinds of Sakura trees in Japan. We have early blooming types (famous one for it is Kawazu-Zakura), and late blooming types (Yae-zakura, double-petal Sakura is a typical late blooming type). 

What is then the meaning of the forecast when they say the date of Sakura blooming and the date of full blooming in "Sakura Blooming Forecast"? Actually they are mostly forecasting about the most common type of Sakura called "Someiyoshino". This Sakura type was bred during the late Shogunate (Samurai) era, and since it grows quickly and the flowers are beautiful, it was spread over the country and became the most common Sakura.

Of course, even the same type of trees in an area can start blooming on different days, but since the "Sakura Blooming Forecast" has a long history as a formal forecast, the Meteorological Agency of Japan has a Standard-Sakura tree in each area. In Tokyo area, the Standard-Sakura tree is a Someiyoshino tree and it is located in Yasukuni Temple in Chiyoda-ward. Thus the start date of Sakura blooming in Tokyo is the date when the Standard-Someiyoshino in Yasukuni Temple starts blooming.

Apparently the Meteorological Agency of Japan started the "Sakura Blooming Forecast" in 1953. Since then, they kept the Standard-Sakura trees all over Japan which are 59 trees in total. In other words, there are Sakura trees working for Japanese government offices. Their task is very important to live up to Japanese people's expectations for Hanami (Flower viewing) with perfect timing.

Are You Ready? Sakura(Cherry Blossoms) Viewing Season Is Coming Soon!!

Cherry blossoms are going to bloom soon in Tokyo area!

Japanese people are checking and reporting it from really early stage like the photo on the left, and people keep talking “now it’s 10% blooming”, “now it’s 30% blooming”…until fully bloomed or even past bloomed.

It’s not only for a small talk, Japanese weather forecasts are officially reporting and forecasting the Sakura blooming every year as in the two photos on the right.

As you can see on upper right hand side photo, Japanese islands extend vertically and cherry blossoms start to bloom from the south to the north gradually (it takes time and people can even travel with it), so people call it “The Cherry Blossom Front” as if it is one of the weather phenomena.

According to the “Sakura Forecast” by Japan Weather Association as shown on the lower right hand side photo, Sakura flowers will start to bloom on March 21st, and it will come into full bloom in Tokyo area on March 28th this year.

Are you ready for "Hanami (Flowers Viewing)" for Sakura Flowers?

Want To Walk On Fire? Annual Fire-Walking Practice Event at Mt.Takao, Tokyo

On March 13th, a unique ritual, annual Fire-Walking Practice event of Yakuoin Temple called "Hiwatari Matsuri" was held at the foot of Mt. Takao. It is a training event for one kind of Japanese Buddhism that took in a Japanese Shinto aspect, to be concrete it is a mountain worship. The monks are called "Yamabushi" and they are distinguished from usual Buddhist monks. 

Though it might be difficult to see clearly in the photos, some of the "Yamabushi" monks put a small black accessory on their head. Actually their wear is especially different from other Buddhist monks' because they stay in a mountain to train themselves with various practices which are physically difficult. This "Fire-Walking (Hiwatari)" is one of their traditional practices. 

In the beginning they burn piled logs on the ground. The fire becomes huge and it takes time to make all logs burn down as you can see in the sequence of photos which are laid out in upper two rows. After that, the monks walk on the smoldering field full of embers.

In old times these were hidden practices, but nowadays monks probably became more open-minded and they do some of their practices in public, and allow people to join it. For this Fire-Walking Practice, too, people can join the ritual and walk on the burned field after the monks.

The monks also sell amulets for preventing fire as shown on the lower right hand side photo.

Early Spring Walk Tour Around Kamimachi-Station in Setagaya-Ward, Tokyo

Kamimachi Station is a station of Tokyu-Setagaya line. The line is an old-fashioned train line that brings nostalgic feeling. The Tokyo-Setagaya line goes to Setagaya Ward and it is a peaceful residential area despite being close to the center of Tokyo.

There are many nice spots around the station and on the west side of the station, there is a historical site called "Setagaya Daikan Yashiki" which means "Residence of Setagaya local governor in Samurai era". The thatched house shows the original style of upper townspeople's house of that time and now it is registered as an important cultural asset by the government.

After a little walk from the Setagaya Daikan Yashiki, there is an old temple surrounded by plants such as bamboos and camellia, named Jissou-In, which was established in 1588 and is now chosen as one of the 100 best viewing spots in Setagaya Ward. The inside of the temple ground is covered with beautiful moss.

Several minutes from Jussou-In, there is a park called "Baji-Kouen (Horseback Riding Park)" which is managed by Japan Racing Association of horse racings. The place was actually used for equestrian events of Tokyo Olympics in 1964. 

The police box beside Baji-Kouen has a unique design. As you can see in the photos, the entrance is hemmed by a big horseshoe because of its proximity to the horse riding park. The park has many Japanese plum trees (Ume) and many people visit here to enjoy the flowers in this season.

Hina Dolls (Traditional Girls' Festival Dolls) Exhibitions Are Being Held Now!

Today, March 3rd is the traditional Girls' Festival Day called "Hina-Matsuri" in Japan! Happy Hina-Matsuri Day!

As a traditional custom for Hina-Matsuri, people display special dolls set called "Hina-dolls" to wish girls' healthy growth and happy marriage. The Traditional "Hina-dolls" sets represent a prince and a princess, a happy married couple wearing ancient noble's kimono, and the formal full set is displayed on a set of stairs far inside of the room as shown in the upper right hand side photo. They are very gorgeous and also expensive.

There is a different type of decoration for the "Hina-Matsuri" called "Tsurushi-Bina (Hanging type decoration for Hina-Matsuri)" as shown in the lower three photos. 

"Tsurushi-Bina" was originally a regional custom for "Hina-Matsuri" in the Izu Peninsula area. However this type of decorations is inexpensive compared to the common type Hina-dolls, and people can make it by themselves. It spread to the whole country and today there are many craft clubs to enjoy making "Tsurushi-Bina".

In this season we can find many local exhibitions of this "Tsurushi-Bina" showing handmade "Tsurushi-Bina" decorations with a common type "Hina-dolls" set. It would be an enjoyable opportunity to see a Japanese seasonal custom.

The photos above are taken at Keio Mogusa-en Garden in Hino City, Tokyo. The "Tsurushi-Bina" exhibition will be held until March 6th there. Also Icho Hall in Hachioji City has a "Tsurushi-Bina" exhibition between March 18th and 20th.